Drill for forming solidified core piles



June 29, 1954 o. COLQUITT 2,682,388

DRILL FOR FORMING SOLIDIFIED CORE PILES Filed Feb. 1.3, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. 0.0/5 (04 01%;?

June 29, 1954 O. COLQUlTT 2,682,388

DRILL FOR FORMING SOLIDIFIED CORE FILES Filed Feb. 13, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 .513; 5 v INVENTOR. f9 052 (may/r77 Patented June 29, 1954 UNITED STA aren't orrics Odie Colquitt, Denver, (3010., assignor to The Winter-Weiss 00., Denver, 0010., a corporation of Colorado Application February 13, 1953, Serial No; 336,727

1 Claim. 1

This invention relates to a drill for forming solidified core piles. solidified core piles are formed by loosening a vertical core of earth and saturating the loosened core with a solidifying solution, such as sodium silicate compounds or the like, thence allowing the saturated, loosened earth to become solidified as a cylindrical core within the surrounding earth.

lthas been difficult to drill the loosened earth cores for since the earth is not removed, it is diificult to withdraw the drill after the drilling is completed.

The principal object of this invention is to provide a drill for drilling loosened earth core for solidified core piles which will enable the operator to quickly and easily detach a drill stem from an inexpensive drill head after the drilling is completed so that the stem may be easily withdrawn, leaving the head in place.

Another object of the invention is to provide a detachable drill head in which all mechanically operated locking and unlocking means will be eliminated, and in which the head may be detached by the simple action of the hydraulic pressure of the core fluid.

Other objects and advantages reside in the detail construction of the invention, which is designed for simplicity, economy, and efficiency. These will become more apparent from the following description.

In the following detailed description of the invention, reference is had to the accompanying drawing which forms a part hereof. Like numerals refer to like parts in all views of the drawing and throughout the description.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a side view of the improved solidified earth core drill;

Figs. 2, 3, and 4 are horizontal cross-sections, taken on the lines 2-2, 3-3, and 44, respectively;

Fig. 5 is a vertical, longitudinal section, taken on the line 5--5, Fig. 1, illustrating the drill in the working position; and

Fig. 6 is a similar section, illustrating the improved drill in the detached or released position.

In the drawing, the improved drill is illustrated mounted on the lower extremity of a tubular drill stem Ill which extends to any suitable rotary device at the surface for rotating the drill. When in use, the drill stem is connected to a suitable fluid supply at the surface for feeding core solidifying solution through the hollow stem.

The drill comprises a cylindrical barrel I I having a threaded socket into which the lower ex- 2 tremity of the drill stem It is threaded. The internal diameterof the barrel l l is reduced below the drill stem H] to form a reduced axial fluid passage [2, and the lower extremity of the barrel extends telescopically into a drill sleeve it.

A drilling blade id is welded or otherwise secured diametrically across the lower extremity of the drill sleeve l3 and projects oppositely outward therefrom. The lower edge of the drilling blade id is provided with beveled cutting teeth [5 arranged in staggered arrangement on oppcsite sides of the axis. A transverse key pin it extends diametrically of the lower extremity of the sleeve l3 and is welded or otherwise permanently secured therein. The blade it is notched to receive the lower extremity of the sleeve i3, and the pin it is positioned below the upper edge of the blade i l.

The bottom of the barrel ii is provided with oppositely positioned notches ii to receive the pin iii as shown in Fig. 5. Thus, when the barrel is forced downwardly in the sleeve l 3, the pin it will rest in the notches ll, so that the rotation of the barrel will be imparted to the sleeve l3 and its blade 14 to cause the latter to drill a cylindrical core of loosened earth.

The sleeve I3 is normally supported on the barrel i l by means of two free locking balls i8 which are positioned in ball openings iii in the barrel, and which may extend outwardly into a ballreceiving groove 20 in the sleeve it. The balls iii are forced outwardly into the receiving groove 23 by means of an internal, hollow plunger 2! formed with a peripheral shoulder 22 which, when the plunger moves upwardly, forces the two balls [8 outwardly into the groove 20.

The plunger is provided with an upper portion 23 of reduced diameter which slides within the fluid passage [2. The upper extremity of the portion 23 contains an open conical ball valve seat 30. The diameter of the upper portion 23 will allow the balls 18 to move inwardly in their ball openings l9 sufficiently to release them from the ball-receiving groove 20.

The plunger is constantly urged upwardly in the barrel H, and the barrel H is constantly urged downwardly on the plunger 2!, by means of a spira] compression spring 24 which surrounds the lower extremity of the plunger and is compressed between a spring shoulder 25 on the latter and a spring bushing 26. The spring bushing 26 is threaded into the lower extremity of the barrel II and the lower extremity of the plunger 2| is slidable therewithin. Leakage around the 3 plunger is prevented by an upper sealing gasket 21 and a lower sealing gasket 28.

During the drilling operation, the mechanism is in the position of Fig. 5. Let us assume, that the drill stem is rotating and that fluid of a type to solidify earth is being pumped down the drill stem and through the hollow plunger 2| to the drilling blade 14. The latter scrapes away and loosens a cylindrical core of earth and intermixes this loosened earth with the solution flowing through the drill stem. When the desired depth has been reached, a core of solutionsaturated earth will surround the drill stem ID, the barrel II and the sleeve l3, and completely cover the drilling blade M so as to make removal of the latter extremely diflicult if not impossible.

The present invention, however, enables the operator to quickly detach the drilling blade from the remainder of the drill so that the latter may be easily withdrawn to allow the core to solidify into a solid pile of earth on the drill blade and sleeve. This is accomplished by simply dropping a loose steel check ball 29 down the drill stem l0 onto the conical valve seat 30 in the upper extremity of the plunger 2! as shown in Fig. 6.

Pressure is now applied to the fluid in the drill stem I0 to cause the latter to act against the ball 29 to compress the spring 24 and force the plunger and the barrel H in opposite directions. This brings the reduced upper portion 23 of the plunger to a position opposite the balls l8, as shown in Fig. 6, and allows the balls to move radially inward to release them from the ball groove 26. This completely disconnects the barrel I! from the sleeve 13 and allows the drill stem and the casing to be pulled upwardly through the saturated core, leaving the sleeve 13 and the drill blade [4 embedded.

Therefore, there is a loss of one drill blade for each core formed. However, the time saved and the assured recovery of the casing and its contained mechanism will more than onset the loss of the comparatively inexpensive drill blade.

While a specific form of the improvement has been described and illustrated herein, it is to be understood that the same may be varied, within the scope of the appended claim, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed and desired secured by Letters Patent is:

An earth boring drill bit adapted to be mounted on the lower extremity of a hollow rotary drill stern comprising: a vertical sleeve; a tubular barrel adapted to be secured on said drill stem and extending into said sleeve; a latch ball positioned in an opening in said barrel and adapted to extend outwardly into a receiving groove in said sleeve to prevent longitudinal movement of said sleeve on said barrel; a tubular plunger slidably mounted in said barrel in contact with said ball, said plunger, barrel and sleeve being normally open for the passage of fluid from said stem, said plunger increasing in diameter below said ball so that when forced upwardly it will force said ball outwardly from said barrel into said receiving groove to secure said sleeve to said barrel; a diametrically extending key pin positioned in and extending across the lower extremity of said sleeve; oppositely positioned notches formed in the bottom of said barrel, said notches receiving said pin and preventing relative rotation between said sleeve and said barrel; an annular bushing threaded into said barrel above said notches, said plunger extending downwardly through said bushing; a spring compressed between said bushing and a shoulder on said plunger; means for closing the fluid passage through said plunger when desired so that the pressure of said fluid against said plunger will force the latter downwardly against the action of said spring to allow said ball to move inwardly to release said sleeve from said barrel when desired; and a drilling blade secured across the lower extremity of said sleeve and projecting radially and oppositely outward therefrom.

References Cited in the file Of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 234,151 Vaughn Nov. 9, 1880 2,146,645 Newman Feb. '7, 1939 2,162,108 Newman June 13, 1939 2,409,811 Taylor et a1 Oct. 22, 1946 

